St Martin’s Church

In 1188 The Papal bull of Clement III referred to St Martin’s Church as ‘ad Gaglianum’. Although the building underwent drastic renovation works over the 19^th century, many analogies with the nearby Church of Saint Mary in Vico back up the theory of the original design of the church in the Romanesque style.

The bare and basic façade shows the main similarities, embellished by a central oxeye window rebuilt upon the original design.

The ground plan of the building is also uncomplicated, with three naves of which the central one is twice the size of the aisles and ends with a semi-circular apse. The horizontal outline of the pediment is in travertine. The rose window above the round portal is in Manoppello stone and only recently built. Whereas above the choir stands a representation of Saint Mary's Immaculate Purity, whose anniversary is every year on the third Sunday of October.

The devotees moved the silver half-length bust of Saint Martin, Nereto’s patron saint, to the Parish of Madonna del Conforto because more central and easier to access.

However, a representation of the saint is visible on a carved out travertine stone placed on the main portal of the church. It depicts a warrior on a horse cutting his cloak in half to cover a naked old beggar pleading for his mercy. The stone was probably found as it looks today among the remains of the old church therefore left there as a reminder.